Annabelle and Bear

A sweet, touching film about appreciating what you never knew you had, “Annabelle and Bear” is a touching, engaging and interesting odd-couple flick that happens to have a father/daughter dynamic.

Bear (Curt Massof) is a burly, bald tattooed biker dude without a care in the world … until he finds his young daughter foisted upon him by his ex, a junkie who can’t handle the responsibility.

The girl, you might have guessed, is Annabelle (Olivia Walby), an adorable, precocious little girl about whom Bear knows almost nothing. Bear isn’t exactly a people person and isn’t the most prepared parent in the world.

So what’s an irresponsible guy to do? Pass the buck on to his mother (Ruby Harris), whom he hasn’t spoken to in some time. So he throws the girl in the car and makes the long journey back to see his mom.

Of course, Bear isn’t prepared for the tug on his heartstrings, and the more time he spends with his little girl, the more attached he becomes. A medical emergency involving the girl both seals the deal and shows him how easy it is to lose her when the doctors question why he doesn’t know about her medical history.

Once he arrives at his mother’s house, he thinks the fight is over and his troubles are done. Of course, his struggles are just beginning, leading him on a harrowing journey to find the little girl who became his.

Massof and Walby have a natural chemistry together and make a convincing father and daughter. Massof is somewhat limited as an actor and has trouble pulling off some of the emotion necessary for his character, but for the most part he’s right for this role. Bear is a quiet man who retreats into himself and Massof pulls that off well, even affording Bear some gravitas.

“Annabelle and Bear” is a simple, no-frills story told well by director Amy S. Weber. It’s a solid, interesting, crowd-pleasing film and worth seeing if not a must-see.